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U.S. Census official urges Manhattan residents to respond as local rates lag
Summary
A U.S. Census Bureau partnership specialist told Manhattan Community Board 2 that New York City’s 2020 self-response rate trailed the national average and door‑knock operations were postponed until August because of COVID‑19; she encouraged online, phone or mail responses and offered help to local groups.
Sarah Malaika, a partnership specialist with the U.S. Census Bureau in Manhattan, told Manhattan Community Board 2 on May 20 that the 2020 census was underway but that New York City trailed the national self‑response rate.
Malaika said the national response rate was 59.8 percent and New York City’s rate was about 49.6 percent as of that day. She said the Census Bureau had suspended field operations because of the coronavirus pandemic and planned to resume non‑response follow‑up, the door‑to‑door enumeration phase, on Aug. 11 if public health authorities permit.
The Census Bureau is encouraging people to respond online at 2020census.gov, by phone or by mail. Malaika told the board that many New Yorkers are temporarily relocated because of COVID‑19 and urged residents to “respond where they live most of the time,” even if they are temporarily away from the city.
Board members asked whether the Census had compared 2020 mid‑May response rates with the same point in 2010 and whether door‑knocking would extend into September. Malaika said response this year lagged behind the comparable point in 2010 and that the Bureau had asked Congress for a 120‑day extension, which would push the final day to Oct. 31 if approved. She said non‑response follow‑up was planned for August, September and October if the extension is granted.
Malaika offered to work with the board, committees, tenant associations, schools and businesses to develop local outreach strategies and to provide maps and tract‑level data. She said she would post the Census website link in the meeting chat and provided her availability while working remotely that summer.
The board’s public‑comment period concluded after the presentation and members moved on to the meeting agenda.
